From the authors of Out of Left Field comes this irreverent collection of baseball's lost lore. The timeless trivia contained here — which can't be found anywhere else — has been meticulously researched through the annals of America's pastime. Filled with amazing coincidence, bizarre records, and fun facts, Curveballs and Screwballs is wonderful entertainment for hardcore baseball fans (who THINK they've seen it all) and casual fans alike.

Inside Curveballs and Screwballs, readers will find:

• The six pitchers who faced both Roger Maris and Mark McGwire (p. 243).

• The team that broadcasts its games in Norway (p. 9).

• The future Hall of Famer born in the back seat of a Chevy (p. 41).

And much, much more.

Willie McCovey: "A fascinating book that offers baseball fans a treasure chest of enjoyable facts and stories."

Bob Feller: "Thank you for the outstanding book Out of Left Field. I can hardly wait for the sequel."

MARK MCGWIRE

THE ANSWER TO MOST BASEBALL trivia questions involving home runs used to be "Babe Ruth," so mightily did he tower over nearly everyone except Hank Aaron. No more. Mark McGwire has earned his own chapter.

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During their historic race for the single-season home run record in 1998, Mark McGwire finished the season with 70, and Sammy Sosa with 66. For how long during their season-long battle for supremacy was Sosa actually ahead of McGwire in the race?

110 minutes.

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In 1995, Mark McGwire-then of the Oakland A's-became the first player with at least `350 at bats to have more home runs than singles in one season. He hit 39 homers that year, but only 35 singles. He duplicated this feat in 1998 with the Cardinals, when he hit a historic 70 home runs but had just 61 singles.

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McGwire's triple on August 2, 1999, was his first since June 20, 1998-4,618 at bats before-when he was with Oakland.

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McGwire's two-year total of 128 home runs (1997-1998) put him atop the "Most Home Runs in Two Consecutive Seasons" list, surpassing Babe Ruth's 114, in the 1927-28 seasons. The next year, McGwire broke his own record with 135 in 1998-1999.

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McG's 65 homers in 1999 gave him the most home runs in three consecutive years-193.

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And in case you're wondering who holds the record for the most home runs in four consecutive years, the answer is Mark McGwire-245, from 1996 to 1999.

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On August 20, 1998, McGwire became the first man to hit at least 50 home runs in a single season for three consecutive seasons. On that date, he hit his 50th home run of the season for the St. Louis Cardinals.; in 1997, when he had played for both the A's and the Cardinals, he hit 58 home runs. The previous year, he hit 52. In 1999, McGwire became the first man to hit 50 home runs in a single season for years in a row.

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On April 14, 1998, Mark McGwire became the first Cardinal to hit three home runs in one game at Busch Stadium.

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Big Mac reached 400 home runs in the fewest at bats in history-4,726. He also hit 500 home runs in the fewest at bats—5,487, and in the fewest games—1,639.

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How many All-Star home runs has Mark McGwire hit?

Through 2000 the authors are tied with Mark McGwire for All-Star home runs—none.

Copyright © 2001 Jeffrey Lyons & Doug Lyons

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Curveballs and Screwballs
Over 1,286 Incredible Baseball Facts, Finds, Flukes, and More!

Author: Jeffrey Lyons & Doug Lyons.
Pages: 320.
Published: March 27, 2001.
Publisher: Times Books.

ISBN: 0-8129-3315-X.

Baseball Book Shelf: Curveballs and Screwballs : Over 1,286 Incredible Baseball Facts, Finds, Flukes, and More!